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Library vault gives up gold

14 May 2008

Work by Jonathan Swift.

Professor Clive Probyn from the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies selected a work by the 18th century satirist Jonathan Swift.

The Sir Louis Matheson Library at the Clayton campus has launched an exhibition that celebrates the University's 50th year.

Fifty books for fifty years includes a cross-section of books from the Monash Rare Books collection.

Fifty academics were asked to choose a book from the collection that they had used in their research and describe its significance.

Most areas of the collection are featured including some 17th and 18th century material. There are also examples of children's books, the earliest account of the discovery of oxygen, an early medical manual run off on a spirit duplicator, science fiction magazines from the classic "pulp" period, 'zines, comics, an alchemical manuscript, the Egyptian Book of the Dead and Madonna's Sex book.

Professor Clive Probyn from the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies selected a work by the 18th century satirist Jonathan Swift.

"When I introduce my English Honours students to the work of Jonathan Swift, I like to show them some material evidence," Professor Probyn said.

"The fact that Swift's own copy of the annotated Vindication survives, and is accessible to readers, also supports the idea of a Rare Books Collection.

"Reading this text today enables us to experience first hand that essential Swiftian rage, that fierce, driving energy that makes him still the greatest satirist in English."

Professor Mark Peel from the School of Historical Studies chose a 1958 series of school texts called The Australian children's pictorial social studies.

"They seem on first impression to represent all that might have been wrong with Australian history-telling in the middle of the last century," Professor Peel said. "However, in many ways students found them more subtle and interesting than they anticipated."

Rare Books Librarian Richard Overell said the books were increasingly being seen as artefacts for research and the Monash collection offered a wealth of resources to students and researchers.

"We take very seriously the importance of collecting, preserving and making these rare books available for study purposes," Mr Overell said.

"Our collection, which includes 135,000 items and is valued at more than $28 million, is one of the most thriving and active in the country and is well-regarded by Australian and international scholars."

The Fifty books for fifty years exhibition is on at the Exhibition room, level 1, ISB Wing, Sir Louis Matheson Library, Clayton campus.

For more information visit the Monash Library website.